• 2021-04-14
    Read the introductory paragraph Exporting American Culture: Disneyland in Japan and France Since its opening in 1955, Disneyland has been viewed as an important part of American popular culture. One critic notes, "America's two enduring gifts to modern civilized life are its music, based on black culture, and Walt Disney" (Pilger 10). Building on the tradition of worlds' fairs, Disney is credited with "developing the prototype of a technologically advanced, immensely entertaining, and commercially feasible amusement park in contemporary society" (Weinstein 147). According to one scholar, Disneyland's success is due to its ability to reflect and reinforce "America's most important beliefs, values, ideals, and symbols" (Weinstein 151).